[Vision2020] UI not having anti-Islam event

[Bruce and Jean Livingston]

I noted that there was something being sponsored by a Young Republican club at WSU recently, something about Islamo-fascism, and I have not understood what that was.  Now I note this article in the UI paper, the Argonaut.

http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/4683/48/

Not having read much if anything about the so-called "Islamo-fascist" movement, I wonder whether the Islamo-fascist movement has been mis-representing Islam and tarring the entire religion with the acts of an extreme faction?  This story in the Argonaut makes me think that is what has been happening, but the story does not say specify the message of hate that the opposers of "Islamo-fascism" are promulgating.  I would like to hear more about this from people who surely have followed this issue much more closely than I.

I am curious about what is going on with this issue, as I have only heard this term "Islamo-fascism" in the last several weeks, other than seeing the term in a book review that I did not read closely about a year ago.  I assume from the very little I have read about "Islamo-fascism" that the announced aim of the Islamo-fascist movement is to address/publicize/oppose those who practice terrorism in the name of the Islamic religion -- the Bin Laden/Al Queda/Taliban camp.  But it seems, based on the story in the Argonaut, that much more is going on than that, and that good Muslims are being caught in the overbroad net aimed at the terrorists by those who oppose/head-up the "Oppose Islamo-fascism" movement.  As I understand the statements of the Al Quaeda/Bin Laden terrorists, they practice a form of Islam that is anti-thetical to the vast majority of the Islamic world, killing in the name of religion but without the approval of most of the Muslim world.  Essentially, as I understand it, the terrorist, so-called "Al Quaeda" wing of Islam mis-represents and mis-uses Islam as it is understood by the vast majority of Muslims.  

Am I correct in assuming that the Islamo-fascist movement is castigating all/most Muslims, rather than the small minority of terrorist sects that are murdering in the name of Islam, while violating Islamic law?   Are there any on this list who might elaborate on this issue for me?

Bruce Livingston

      Written by Jessica Mullins - Argonaut     
      Tuesday, 23 October 2007  
      Community members gather against movement 

      Palouse community members organized events and spread information in response to this week's national "Islamo-Fascism 
      Awareness Week." 

      The movement is intended to promote hostility and hate toward Muslims, Arabs ands people who resemble them, said retired University of Idaho economics professor Ghazi Ghazanfar. "The whole idea is to create more hate and demonize the religion and people," Ghazanfar said. "This is a systematic, well-organized effort in the country."

      The week, part of a "terrorism awareness project," is sponsored by the David Horowitz Freedom Center.  Activities are planned at nearly 100 U.S. universities including Washington State University, but none at UI.  "The movement is unfortunately all over the place," said Andy Neukranz-Butler, UI's human rights compliance officer.  The Web site, www.terrorismawareness.org/islamo-fascism, says the protest is to confront the two "big lies of the political left": that President George W. Bush created the war on terror and that global warming is a greater American danger than the terrorism threat.

      In light of the movement, UI President Tim White re-released the UI civility statement on Oct. 11 to "raise to top-of-mind" UI civility expectations.  The civility statement acknowledges everyone comes from different backgrounds and supports the discussion of different points of view in a civilized manner, Neukranz-Butler said.  The statement says "expressions of hate and intolerance meant to discriminate against entire groups are beneath the ideals that we aspire to at the University of Idaho."  

      While there are no events planned at UI, organizers wanted to prepare, just in case.  "We want to be proactive to include people in community discussion," Neukranz-Butler said. "We would hope things wouldn't get out of hand."   While debate is important, it shouldn't include hateful or fighting words, she said.  "Obviously, good debate is what we want. We just want to do it in a respectful manner," she said. "We want to create an environment where we can talk about it."   The civility statement is appropriate to combat feelings of threats, said Rula Awwad-Rafferty, UI faculty and JUNTURA committee chair.  

      The WSU College Republicans will show the film "Obsession" on Wednesday.  "The film has a lot of nasty things to say about the Muslim religion," Neukranz-Butler said. The film doesn't encourage constructive discussion, she said.  Palouse community members, including Neukranz-Butler, Awwad-Rafferty and Ghazanfar, met and organized events and ads to run in local newspapers in response to the week.  "Regardless of your political orientation or religious orientation, I think knowledge is power and it is important to question information and go to try to find other sources," Awwad-Rafferty said. 

      The efforts in response to the awareness week focus on the unity of the community.  "We all stand together," Awwad-Rafferty said. "If it hurts someone in the community it hurts us all. We combat stereotypes because we believe they hurt all of us no matter where they come from."  Awwad-Rafferty said it is nice how the community came together against the movement.  "I don't think hatred ought to be tolerated anywhere," Awwad-Rafferty said. "But you don't fight hatred with hatred." 

      The Islamic community at UI is growing, Ghazanfar said. Since Sept. 11 more Muslims are returning to the U.S. There are more than 25 Islamic faculty members, he said.  Movements such as this week are extremely counterproductive as far recruiting foreign students, especially from the Islamic world, Ghazanfar said.  "We are doing everything possible and organizing things on campus to create more harmony and unity," he said, "but a group is here to create exclusiveness."  The movement is inflammatory and has incorrect information, Awwad-Rafferty said.  "It is important to assure everybody they will not be harmed," Awwad-Rafferty said. "The fear of being harmed is, in my opinion, equivalent to being harmed."

     
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